Questions for the President to answer in his Independence Address

On this day May 26, 2022 we celebrate or more accurately observe our 56th year of Independence and I wish all Guyanese in particular our few media operatives, young people and true patriots a Happy and Reflective Day. After years of struggle, the final Constitutional Independence Conference which settled the date for Independence was held early November at Lancaster House, London. For the records those who represented British Guiana were Sir Richard Luyt, K.C.M.G, D.C.M, Governor, Hon. Shridath (Sony) Ramphal, Q.C., Attorney General, Sir Lionel A. Luckhoo, C.B.E, Q.C, Commissioner for British Guiana in the UK, Hon. David Gardner Rose, M.B.E., Defence Adviser, Lt. Col. P.H. Hislop, Mr. A. J. Breeze, Hon. Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, Q.C., Premier, Hon. Clifton Mortimer Llewelyn John, Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Hon. Deoroop Mahraj, Minister without Portfolio, Mr. Hugh Maybrick E. Cholmondeley, Adviser, Mr. Hamilton Green, General Secretary, PNC., Mr. John Gabriel Joaquin, O.B.E., Hon. Peter Stanislaus. D’Aguiar, Minister of Finance, Hon. Randolph E. Cheeks, Minister, Mr. Stephen Campbell, PS to the Ministry of Home Affairs (later 1st Amerindian to enter Parliament), Mr. J.E. De Freitas, C.B.E., Mr. Marcellus Fielden-Singh, and Hon. Mohamed Kassim, Minister of Works and Hydraulics. From the above list, you’ll note that only two persons are still alive.

On this occasion, I mention only four things, initiated by Mr. Burnham, which would have contributed to a genuine oneness in an independent State. These were 1) National Service, 2) The National

Insurance Scheme 3) An aggressive FCH (Feed, Clothe and House) Programme and 4) A highly respected Foreign Service, staffed by Guyanese of competence and integrity. A foreign service respected internationally. As we observe our 56th year of Independence, it is painful to note just three things, first, how we are willing to compromise our environment at the behest of a big brother with big bucks, so we dismissed Mr. Vincent Adams, as Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, so today we have an EPA that is a toothless and clawless tiger, seemingly dancing to the tune of the Government and their darlings. The Forbes Burnham Foundation sought and obtained permission in writing to mount an Independence Commemo-rative Exhibition at the Foyer of the National Library intended to educate and inform in particular young Guyanese about the road and challenges that allowed the successful quest for Independence in 1966. Even before the exhibits were to be mounted, Chairman of the Burnham Foundation, Mr. Vincent Alexander received a telephone call saying that permission was being withdrawn since the Library needed the facility for its own use. Taken against the asseverations about One Guyana, this is unbelievable, but in the context of Guyana, it is so. Another grievous matter, is that last week we heard the DPP exercising the powers given her under the Constitution, withdrawing the charges made against Attorney-at-Law, Nirvan Singh in response to allegations by Special Constable Ms. Shawnette Bollers, that he uttered vile, racist language to her. Ms. Bollers

earlier expressed a willingness to take a lie detector test. In a polarized society, this is a matter of serious concern to all and sundry. This matter ought not to be swept under the carpet. The DPP Office in response to concerns expressed said that they will not be intimidated because the DPP acted within the confines of the law. These are questions that the President must answer in his Independence Address.

The third worrisome matter, is that we are hearing all sorts of nice things from the President, while all that is necessary to cushion the burden of a daily increase in the cost of living is to double the salaries of all the public sector employees, Policemen, Soldiers, Firemen, Teachers, Doctors, Nurses, the Army, Clerks, etc. This will force their friends in the Private Sector with a few exceptions to give their workers a better deal. The old folks say ‘Wha Mouth nah load’ meaning not what you say but what you do and deliver that matters. After 56 years of Independence we still do not have the capacity and good sense to avoid a slow march to neo-colonialism. After 56 years of Independence there is still ambivalence and in some cases deception about local content and food security. The philosophical underpinnings were articulated and set in motion more than four decades ago. Today, as we expect our leaders to celebrate, certain local companies who deliver goods and services must still act as Sub-Contractors to the big foreign companies. Finally, as we observe our 56th year of Independence, I ask and I ask all of our leaders, political, religious, judiciary and the executive to go beyond the niceties of the law and petty differences and be directed and behave like true Statesmen should. In spite of the gloom and hubris above, we must still believe that true patriots will lead us to the glorious and not damned, and that we sing this day lustily and meaningfully, the third stanza of our National Anthem, words by A.L.Luker and lyrics by E. C. G. Potter: “Great Land of Guyana, diverse though our strains, We are born of their sacrifice, heirs of their pains. And ours is the glory their eyes did not see, One land of six peoples, united and free.” All of our teachings direct us that what is important is that all of us have what I term, a moral sense helping us to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, what is desirable and undesirable. This is the task ahead that will help us to be glorious and not damned and beyond all this I pose this to this generation: are we truly independent in our actions and thinking or is it a phrase of convenience? Happy Independence! Sincerely,

Hamilton Green

Elder